(194b) Gamma Scanning in Ethylene Plants

Modern day gamma scanning is a powerful diagnostic tool which is used routinely to troubleshoot trayed and packed towers throughout the petrochemical, refining and gas processing industries. Nowadays most towers can be scanned quickly with several towers being scanned in a single day oftentimes with multiple scans per tower. Scan data can then be plotted and interpreted within minutes giving the operator a quick diagnosis, which can be used to make critical process adjustments. In this presentation, ways of interpreting the scans and various examples for applications of scanning including flooding, fouling, tray damage and location will be discussed.